The philanthropic endeavors of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society during the past eight decades is a genuine expression of Christian charity, which has embraced an enormous manifestation of love. This manifestation of love has been evident in the multitude of meaningful programs and activities undertaken during the eighty years of its existence.

Philanthropia is a tradition of the Greek Orthodox Church, dating from the Byzantine Empire, which was the first State to offer philanthropic and charitable assistance to its citizens.

St. James, in his Epistle, Chapter 1, Verse 22, exhorts all Christians to be “Doers of the Word, and not hearers only”. The members of the Philoptochos are “doers”. Their accomplishments are monumental and are recorded in the annals of every Chapter of the organization.

The beginning of the Philoptochos Society can be traced to the late nineteenth century when hundreds of immigrants were arriving daily in the United States from Greece. Asia Minor and Constantinople. In 1894, Father Paisios Ferentinos, who was serving the Holy Trinity Church in New York City, undertook, with the assistance of Mrs. Amalia Feramoschos and Mrs. Penelope Eleftheropoulos, the formidable task of welcoming the new émigrés and assist them to acclimate themselves to their new environment.